Capturing Resilience – Sunny Mills on the Altadena Wildfires

In this episode, we sit down with photographer and set designer Sunny Mills, who lost almost everything when her home burned during the Altadena wildfires. Sunny shares her journey from moving to LA in search of creativity and community, to finding a home in Altadena, only to have it taken by the fires. She reflects on the experience of loss, displacement, and rebuilding, while also channeling her energy into a unique tintype photography project—capturing portraits of fellow fire survivors in the ashes of their former homes.

This is part of our ongoing series following those affected by the LA wildfires over the next several years, documenting their recovery at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and beyond.

Follow Sunny’s Project: @sunshine_acid

See Sunny's GoFundMe

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Topics Discussed:

• Moving from Milwaukee to LA in search of creative opportunities
• Discovering Altadena and finally finding a place that felt like home
• The night of the fire: evacuation, uncertainty, and loss
• Returning to find everything gone and navigating the emotional impact
• Finding meaning through tintype photography, offering portraits to fellow survivors
• The challenge of displacement and feeling forgotten by the world
• Hopes for the future, documentary photography, and staying connected to the community

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Chapters:
(00:01:00) What do you love about LA?
(00:01:46) How Sunny Got To LA
(00:03:57) Reset in LA
(00:05:06) 2020
(00:12:32) Work
(00:19:18) Living in Altadena
(00:21:37) Right Before the Fire
(00:29:25) Evacuation & The Fire
(00:33:54) Where We Are At Now
(00:39:06) Finding Joy and Closure
(00:43:25) The Devastation
(00:45:48) Tintypes
(00:50:51) Forgotten Already
(00:54:16) Next Steps
(00:58:25) The Kitties Are With Me
(00:59:30) Where To Go To Find Out More
(01:02:43) The Future

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Host:
Neil Alonzo

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